Comments on: Bring that beat back! (press "start")http://www.metafilter.com/57298/Bring-that-beat-back-press-start/
Comments on MetaFilter post Bring that beat back! (press "start")Wed, 27 Dec 2006 09:19:41 -0800Wed, 27 Dec 2006 09:19:41 -0800en-ushttp://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss60Bring that beat back! (press "start")http://www.metafilter.com/57298/Bring-that-beat-back-press-start
Of course you know the rhythm box/drum machine has had a profound impact on modern music-making, but how much do you know about its history? Was the <a href="http://www.obsolete.com/120_years/machines/rhythmicon/index.html">Rhythmicon</a> the very first rhythm machine? Korg's <a href="http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/Oct02/articles/korg40th.asp">DoncaMatic</a> <small>(great name, eh?)</small> was one of the first commercial models. Up until 1979 they were all pre-programmed, but Roland ushered in the modern era with the user-programmable<a href="http://www.hollowsun.com/vintage/cr78/"> CR-78</a>, and followed it up soon after with the legendary <a href="http://www.hollowsun.com/vintage/808/index.html">TR808</a>. Go <a href="http://www.broadwaymusicco.com/beatbox3.htm">here</a> for a fairly comprehensive overview of vintage drum machines <small>(organized alphabetically, with photos and descriptions/background info)</small>. And <a href="http://www.keyboardmuseum.org/d_machines/vdrums.html">here</a> you can interact with a wide assortment of virtual <small>[Flash]</small> rhythm boxes of the 70's and 80's. <small>(Knee-jerk Flash haters, go ahead and hate it, but this is one of the best uses of Flash I can imagine.) </small>post:www.metafilter.com,2006:site.57298Wed, 27 Dec 2006 09:03:44 -0800flapjax at midnitedrummachinerhythmboxrolandtheremincowellleontermenleontheremindoncamatichenrycowelltr808rhythmiconmusicalinstrumentrhythmrhythmmachineBy: beaucoupkevinhttp://www.metafilter.com/57298/Bring-that-beat-back-press-start#1534549
<b>Lovely.</b>comment:www.metafilter.com,2006:site.57298-1534549Wed, 27 Dec 2006 09:19:41 -0800beaucoupkevinBy: Burhanistanhttp://www.metafilter.com/57298/Bring-that-beat-back-press-start#1534555
Good memories. Once while playing with a Roland machine I had some sort of transcendent rhythmic experience where the rhythm was liberated from my bones and into the space between my figertips and the little drumpad buttons on the Roland. For a fleeting moment I could see the source of rhythm and its relation to time. Fun stuff, and only possible because my body wasn't wholly engaged in the means of production of the rhythm as it would be if it were sitting at an actual instrument that required more force. Ahem..anyways.comment:www.metafilter.com,2006:site.57298-1534555Wed, 27 Dec 2006 09:24:23 -0800BurhanistanBy: amymshttp://www.metafilter.com/57298/Bring-that-beat-back-press-start#1534558
Cool post :)... Your last link (to the interactive rhythm boxes) also features a virtual version of Mattel's BeeGee's Rhythm Machine, which is cheese-tastically fun!comment:www.metafilter.com,2006:site.57298-1534558Wed, 27 Dec 2006 09:27:18 -0800amymsBy: adipocerehttp://www.metafilter.com/57298/Bring-that-beat-back-press-start#1534563
Raise your hand if "Me and My Rhythm Box" began playing in your head. "It is ... preprogrammed ... so what? SO WHAT?"comment:www.metafilter.com,2006:site.57298-1534563Wed, 27 Dec 2006 09:30:44 -0800adipocereBy: al_frescohttp://www.metafilter.com/57298/Bring-that-beat-back-press-start#1534573
[raises hand]comment:www.metafilter.com,2006:site.57298-1534573Wed, 27 Dec 2006 09:51:47 -0800al_frescoBy: Elimhttp://www.metafilter.com/57298/Bring-that-beat-back-press-start#1534583
{Raises Hand}, and hangs head in shame for knowing the reference.comment:www.metafilter.com,2006:site.57298-1534583Wed, 27 Dec 2006 10:07:53 -0800ElimBy: NationalKatohttp://www.metafilter.com/57298/Bring-that-beat-back-press-start#1534584
The 808 kickdrum makes the girlies get dumb.comment:www.metafilter.com,2006:site.57298-1534584Wed, 27 Dec 2006 10:11:31 -0800NationalKatoBy: Bovine Lovehttp://www.metafilter.com/57298/Bring-that-beat-back-press-start#1534588
Along the same lines, the <a href="http://nkhstudio.com/pages/popup_bassline.html">Baseline Baseline</a> video at <a href="http://nkhstudio.com/index.html">Nate Harrison's site</a> is an extremely fascinating view on the TB-303.
Between mefi and youtube (yes, youtube), i have come to rekindle my love for music and make it all the stronger.comment:www.metafilter.com,2006:site.57298-1534588Wed, 27 Dec 2006 10:15:06 -0800Bovine LoveBy: Devils Rancherhttp://www.metafilter.com/57298/Bring-that-beat-back-press-start#1534590
There went my afternoon. I had a friend who drove me crazy with his Dr. Rhythm, and we actually used a Roland TR-505 in a band for a while, in about '83, I think. I've still got home demos featuring both, though they're cringe-worthy. I thought I'd hit the big time when I bought me a <a href="http://hem.passagen.se/tkolb/art/synth/rx15_e.htm">Yamaha RX 15</a>, but I ended up hating that thing within about 6 weeks, after it began to appear in every jingle recorded for the next 2 years.comment:www.metafilter.com,2006:site.57298-1534590Wed, 27 Dec 2006 10:17:25 -0800Devils RancherBy: loquacioushttp://www.metafilter.com/57298/Bring-that-beat-back-press-start#1534591
unf unf unf chk
unf unf unf unf
unf unf unf chk
unf unf unf unf
unf unf unf chk
unf unf unf oom
unf unf unf chk
unf unf unf oom
unf unf unf chk
unf unf tak oom
unf unf chk chk
unf unf tak oomcomment:www.metafilter.com,2006:site.57298-1534591Wed, 27 Dec 2006 10:17:37 -0800loquaciousBy: Devils Rancherhttp://www.metafilter.com/57298/Bring-that-beat-back-press-start#1534593
Oh, and how about that Casio Demo Song? that was a catchy little ditty.comment:www.metafilter.com,2006:site.57298-1534593Wed, 27 Dec 2006 10:19:05 -0800Devils RancherBy: kid ichoroushttp://www.metafilter.com/57298/Bring-that-beat-back-press-start#1534648
If you want to play with a software 808 and 909, here's a link to the now-freeware <a href="http://www.rebirthmuseum.com/">Rebirth</a>.comment:www.metafilter.com,2006:site.57298-1534648Wed, 27 Dec 2006 12:07:24 -0800kid ichorousBy: rhythimhttp://www.metafilter.com/57298/Bring-that-beat-back-press-start#1534692
Oh to own/get to play with a real TR-909, if only for a little while.....sweet, sweet rhythm composer. Gotta love that bass kick!comment:www.metafilter.com,2006:site.57298-1534692Wed, 27 Dec 2006 13:15:44 -0800rhythimBy: doctorschlockhttp://www.metafilter.com/57298/Bring-that-beat-back-press-start#1534750
Hey Hey! My old band played with that there uhmmm..
Bee Gee's rhythm box...and it rocked...it rocked Dude.
Just like that uhmmmm...Casio hand-held thingamabob.
Oh man..those were the days.comment:www.metafilter.com,2006:site.57298-1534750Wed, 27 Dec 2006 14:57:45 -0800doctorschlockBy: Twanghttp://www.metafilter.com/57298/Bring-that-beat-back-press-start#1534841
I'd guess that mechanical carousel music-machines predate the Rhythmicon and could play a number of tunes (so might have been programmable, possibly with music-box-style wheels). Did they predate player pianos?
Interesting question. It'd be great to hear about a book that covers the history of mechanically-produced music and rhythms. No doubt they go way back, possibly thousands of years ... wouldn't be surprised if the ancient Greeks did that.comment:www.metafilter.com,2006:site.57298-1534841Wed, 27 Dec 2006 16:45:06 -0800TwangBy: Twanghttp://www.metafilter.com/57298/Bring-that-beat-back-press-start#1534843
"unf unf unf chk
unf unf unf unf"
That's what she said.comment:www.metafilter.com,2006:site.57298-1534843Wed, 27 Dec 2006 16:46:51 -0800TwangBy: bardichttp://www.metafilter.com/57298/Bring-that-beat-back-press-start#1534865
I thought the 808 was a smashing success from its birth -- interesting to hear they fell way out of style before they became popular again.comment:www.metafilter.com,2006:site.57298-1534865Wed, 27 Dec 2006 17:12:33 -0800bardicBy: rsanheimhttp://www.metafilter.com/57298/Bring-that-beat-back-press-start#1534872
No mention of the classic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_TB-303">TB-303</a> in the FPP?! The essential Roland box that had multiple genres named after it? (acid house, acid techno, acid trance, etc) For shame!
The 303 was produced by Roland as a studio replacement for a bass guitar. Its sound is nowhere near a real bass guitar, but the synth was discovered to have an insane "liquid" sound perfect for electronic music. It inspired endless forms of techno, house, and trance, not to mention the careers of folks like Josh Wink, Hardfloor, and Chris Liberator.
The 303 is still an essential piece in many electronic musicians. and it continues to fetch <a href="http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?sofocus=bs&sbrftog=1&catref=C12&from=R10&satitle=tb-303&sacat=38068%26catref%3DC6&sargn=-1%26saslc%3D2&sadis=200&fpos=ZIP%2FPostal&ftrt=1&ftrv=1&saprclo=&saprchi=&fsop=1%26fsoo%3D1&coaction=compare&copagenum=1&coentrypage=search">$800- $1500</a> for used units on the market. (it retailed for ~$200 when it came out)
Hearing some classic acid house at a club still makes me grin and dance like a crazy fool. Good times.comment:www.metafilter.com,2006:site.57298-1534872Wed, 27 Dec 2006 17:18:29 -0800rsanheimBy: geekhordehttp://www.metafilter.com/57298/Bring-that-beat-back-press-start#1534875
Um. The 303 is not a drum machine.comment:www.metafilter.com,2006:site.57298-1534875Wed, 27 Dec 2006 17:28:30 -0800geekhordeBy: flapjax at midnitehttp://www.metafilter.com/57298/Bring-that-beat-back-press-start#1534889
<i>No mention of the classic TB-303 in the FPP?! For shame!</i>
Well, it was a fairly long FPP already, and the 303 doesn't <i>exactly</i> fall into the "rhythm box/drum machine" category. Perhaps another FPP on <i>sequencers</i> is in order. But thanks for the 303 link. It was an important (and certainly lovable) little machine.
<small>Side note as relates to the 303: I did some gigs (as drummer) for a Japanese group called Buffalo Daughter, and one of the tunes used a 303 for the bassline. It <i>sounded</i> great, but the tempo was wobbly as hell: drifted like crazy, and was really hard to play to.</small>comment:www.metafilter.com,2006:site.57298-1534889Wed, 27 Dec 2006 17:51:51 -0800flapjax at midniteBy: Artwhttp://www.metafilter.com/57298/Bring-that-beat-back-press-start#1534925
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MssH0n5NEu8&mode=related&search=">808 State are fucking great!</a>comment:www.metafilter.com,2006:site.57298-1534925Wed, 27 Dec 2006 18:50:12 -0800ArtwBy: dydeckerhttp://www.metafilter.com/57298/Bring-that-beat-back-press-start#1534985
<a href="http://www.machinedrum.com/">Best drum machine ever</a>comment:www.metafilter.com,2006:site.57298-1534985Wed, 27 Dec 2006 20:09:55 -0800dydeckerBy: lekvarhttp://www.metafilter.com/57298/Bring-that-beat-back-press-start#1535077
The Mattel Synsonics drum gets nothing but greif from "real" musicians, but it's capable of some great things in the right hands. A percussionist I jam with squeezed some Industrial beats out of that goofy little toy drum that would make Ogre or Al Jourgensen grin. We fed the signal through a professional bass amp (the Synsonics has stereo out), it was great! I'm planning on getting my own now.comment:www.metafilter.com,2006:site.57298-1535077Wed, 27 Dec 2006 21:02:03 -0800lekvarBy: lekvarhttp://www.metafilter.com/57298/Bring-that-beat-back-press-start#1535079
<a href="http://www.keyboardmuseum.org/d_machines/synsonics.html">Synsonics link from the Keyboard Museum link, above</a>comment:www.metafilter.com,2006:site.57298-1535079Wed, 27 Dec 2006 21:03:39 -0800lekvarBy: rsanheimhttp://www.metafilter.com/57298/Bring-that-beat-back-press-start#1535355
The 303 definitely fell into a the "rhythm box" category. It might not have been created as such, but the way it ended up being used certainly put it in that category.
Even if its not strictly in the same category as the 808/909, they are just like milk and cookies. Sure, you can have them separately, but its just not the same.comment:www.metafilter.com,2006:site.57298-1535355Thu, 28 Dec 2006 07:35:06 -0800rsanheimBy: flapjax at midnitehttp://www.metafilter.com/57298/Bring-that-beat-back-press-start#1535999
Okay, <i>okay</i>, rsanheim, we bow to you superior knowledge! The 303 was a rhythm box! It was also a breath freshener, a bottle opener, and could double as a helicopter engine carburetor, in a pinch. Are you happy now?comment:www.metafilter.com,2006:site.57298-1535999Thu, 28 Dec 2006 20:00:57 -0800flapjax at midnite